Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Wagtail

British Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameEmpire Wagtail
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage4,893 tons
Completed1919 - Todd Drydock & Construction Corp, Tacoma WA 
OwnerSmith, Hogg & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool 
HomeportLondon 
Date of attack28 Dec 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-260 (Hubertus Purkhold)
Position43° 17'N, 27° 22'W - Grid BD 9881
Complement44 (44 dead - no survivors)
ConvoyONS-154
RouteCardiff - Belfast Lough - Halifax - Boston 
Cargo3857 tons of coal 
History Completed in September 1919 as Ossining for US Shipping Board (USSB). 1933 renamed Point Lobos for Gulf Pacific Mail Line (Swayne & Hoyt Ltd Inc), San Francisco CA. 1941 transferred to Britain and renamed Empire Wagtail by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). 
Notes on event

At 22.36 and 22.37 hours on 28 Dec 1942, U-260 fired torpedoes at convoy ONS-154 about 900 miles west of Cape Finisterre and reported one ship sunk with one torpedo, a second vessel sunk with three and a third ship damaged by one torpedo. However, the only ship hit at this time was the Empire Wagtail (Master Gabriel Almond). The master, 35 crew members and eight gunners were lost.

 
On boardWe have details of 44 people who were on board


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